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Saturday, June 29, 2013

Paper cones are great at parties for holding chips, popcorn, candy, french fries, or anything else you want! Try the 4th of July Snack Mix with these festive cones! It has just the right amount of sweet and salty mix, all in a festive cone!

Go to marthastewart.comto find the printable for these cones, and the directions on how make them!

These fun and festive mason jars are the prefect decoration to hold utensils, straws, cake pops, marshmallow pops, miniature flags, flowers or other 4th of July party favors! They are so simple and easy to make and look so cute!

What You Will Need:

3 mason jars

red acrylic paint

white acrylic paint

blue acrylic paint

paint brush

washi tape

a star stamp (or foam star cut out and wine cork to make your own)

an emery board or sandpaper

Instructions:

1. Paint 2 of the jars white, and the other one blue

2. After they have dried, use the washi tape to mark off strips on the 2 white jars, and paint the red stripes. After they dry remove the tape, and the white stripes will still be underneath them.

3. Using a star stamp, stamp white stars onto the blue jar in random places. (to make your own stamp, hot glue a few foam star cutouts to a wine cork)

4. After they have dried you can use the sand paper or emery board to make the paint look distressed and have the lettering stand out more

Our family is a tutu family. My little girl wears one almost every holiday. I usually make hers myself, but I love some of the sewing details on the shirts that I can't do! Check out these completely adorable 4th of July Tutu sets and be ready to see your Little Miss look ADORABLE in her festive Red, White and Blue Tutu!

I love wreaths! I think they are great way to add some decor to your house, while celebrating fun holidays! We have had one for almost every holiday/ season in the past year! Check out these super cute and fun 4th of July wreaths! You can use it as inspiration to make your own, or you can go ahead and buy one from their link! Happy Fourth of July!

Friday, June 28, 2013

The perfect snack mix for a sweet and salty 4th of July treat! Fill up individual bags or paper cups for a take home treat from you cookout party!

Ingredients:

Mini pretzels

Popcorn (air-popped)

Cereal (Chex Mix, Cheerios, your choice)

Peanuts (or any nut of your choice)

M&M's (or other candy)

Festive sprinkles

Chocolate for melting (white, milk or dark)

Directions:

1. On a sheet pan, spread out the pretzels, popcorn, cereal, and peanuts. Do not over fill the pan, you will need room to move them around.

2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

3. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the sheet pan of snacks, you can lightly stir or toss the snacks to coat them even more with chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm add the M&M's and sprinkles. Stir lightly to combine

4. Spread the snack mix back out onto the sheet pan. If you want, you can drizzle with additional chocolate. Let the mixture cool completely, and then begin to break it apart.

5. Store in an air tight bag or container. The mixture will be fresh for 2-3 days

1. In a large pot, melt the butterover low heat.Once its melted, add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Stir in the vanilla. Remove from heat and stir in the rice puffed cereal, until thoroughly coated.

2. Spread the cereal out onto a sheet a wax paper. Allow the mixture to cool and firm. Once cooled, cut out star shapes with your cookie cutter.

"This showstopping flag dessert combines sweet vanilla cake with colorful
strawberries and blueberries for a patriotic 4th of July treat."

-Christina Stanley-Salerno

Ingredients:

For Vanilla Cake:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

3/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

2 (8 ounce) packaged of cream cheese

1/2 stick of unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

For the Topping:

25-30 Strawberries, cut in half and thinly sliced3/4 cup blueberries

Directions:

1. Make The Batter: Preheat oven to 350°. Place 20 cupcake liners in 2 (12 cup) cupcake pans. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add the flour, milk, oil, baking powder and vanilla and beat for another minute, until batter is smooth and creamy. Fill each cupcake liner 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full.

2. Bake The Cupcakes: Bake for 18 - 21 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Take the cupcakes out of the pan, and set them out until the have cooled completely.

3. Make The Frosting: With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and beat until thoroughly combined.

4. Assemble The Cake: Ice each cupcake. Deceorate 4 cupcakes with 4 rows of blueberries. With the remaining 16 cupcakes, decorate with 4 rows of 2-3 strawberries. Line the cupcakes up side by side, with the blueberry cupcakes in the far left corner to resemble a flag. Serve immediately or chill for up to 2 hours.

These are so cute and festive! Ever since I made Chocolate Covered Pretzels for Christmas, I keep getting asked to make them again! But they are SO simple and easy to make! It's a great combination of sweet and salty! Plus, the add to the festive decor!

Ingredients:

Bag of Pretzel Rods

Chocolate for melting (white, milk, or dark)

Festive Sprinkles

Wax Paper

Directions:

1. Melt the chocoloate in the microwave according to package directions, while it melting, spread the sprinkles out onto a plate, and lay out a sheet of wax paper.

2. Dip the pretzel in the chocolate, waiting for the excess chocolate to drip off

3. Roll onto a plate of sprinkle, making sure to cover most of the chocolate

Who doesn't LOVE Ice Cream Sandwiches? This is an easy way to dress up a family favorite and serve it at any BBQ or Cookout Party! Its even on a stick! Which means you can easily spend more time watching fireworks!

Ingredients:

Cake Pop Sticks

Box of Ice Cream Sandwhiches

Festive Sprinkles

Festive Cupcake Wrappers

Directions:

1. Cut the Ice Cream Sandwich in half (if desired)

2. Place on stick and add sprinkles to the edges, leave in freezer on wax paper until its time to serve.

These shirts are SO adorable for a little girl to wear on 4th of July! Theyare so festive and look great! It's an easy DIY shirt, and it will be much cheaper than buying a brand new 4th of July outfit.

What You Will Need:White T-Shirt or OnsieRed Rick Rack RibbonBlue RibbonFusable TapeIron

Instructions:

1. Cut the red ribbon in the desired lengths to fit you size shirt.2. Cut the fusable tape to the same length and place it between the shirt and the ribbon

3. Use an iron to melt the fusable tape and secure the ribbon in place

4. Make a bow with the blue ribbon and iron it onto the shirt using the fusable tape.*Tip: You can use the leftover ribbon as a hair bow to match! Enjoy! :)Source: ourgoodfamily.org

What kid wouldn't love to pop balloons full of confetti? This seems like a great childhood memory, and a yearly tradition to start! They are easy to make too! The Red, White and Blue colors are so festive for the Fourth of July, but you can easily change the colors and use this for any occasion or birthday parties!

These Marshmallow Pops will brighten up any 4th of July BBQ or Cookout Party! They are fun to eat, yet simple to make! Did I mention they taste amazing? Anything on stick is fun for a kid, so go ahead and give these a try at your next BBQ Party!

Ingredients:

Bag of large Marshmallows

Cake Pop Sticks (decorative straws will work too)

Chocolate, for meltin

Lots of festive sprinkles

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate (it can milk, dark, white, or semi-sweet)

2. While the chocolate is melting place the marshmallows on the sticks, and pour the sprinkles out onto a plate or in a bowl.

3. Once the chocolate has melted, dip the marshmallow in, making sure to cover all sides. Hold it over the chocolate until it stops dripping. Then roll in the sprinkles, making sure to get an even coat.

4. You can lay the marshmallow pop on its side, on the top of the marshmallow, or you can have them stay upright by using a cardboard box with holes for the sticks, a piece of styrofoam, or by using a cake pop stand!

I am LOVING these straws from The Party Fairy on etsy.com! You can get an order of 30 assorted Red, White, and Blue straws for only $5.50! Plus, she offers a free downloadable printable paper flag to go on the straws, so everyone can have their name on their own drink! Check out her store for other amazing party supplies! For now, go on over to The Party Fairyand buy this cute set of straws! It will be sure to add some festive design to your 4th of July cookout!

The perfect dessert for a fun day! It has fruit, chocolate, and marshmallows! You can even drizzle it with more chocolate! And best of all.. its on a stick! The kids will love this. Its an easy dessert, that you don't need a plate and fork to eat, so you can spend more time watching the fireworks!

"Celebrate the freedom to express your creativity with this recipe for NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Stars and Stripes Cookies.An inspired display of American pride - these star-shaped cookies are
decorated with red juicy strawberries and plump blueberries on velvety
white cream cheese - all topped with a sprinkle of chocolate chip mini
morsels.These star-spangled cookies are the perfect Independence Day treat."

A patriotic way to display a sweet dessert! Cake pops are so easy to make! Just make any cake (even a box kind), crumble it after it bakes, mix it with icing to make it firm. Roll into balls, and dip into melted chocolate. In this case, you would used white chocolate and dye it blue and red, add some white chocolate strips and pearl candies or sprinkles for the stars!

We are
LOVING this FREE 4th of July Badges and Hats printable from The Dating
Divas! Be sure to decorate your house with lots of Stars and Stripes to help
celebrate! These are so easy to print out and make, the kids in your life will
to dress up for the special occasion! Go on over to thedatingdivas.com to
download and print your free printable hat and badges! Have a great 4th
of July!